Dolphins Notebook: Coach Joe Philbin wants to add playmakers

Miami Dolphins coach Joe Philbin has a simple offseason goal: make his team better.

After finishing 7-9 overall and 2-4 in the AFC East, Philbin admitted the team must do whatever it takes to improve a roster loaded with veterans with expiring contracts.

"I'm not opposed to improving the football team in any way shape or form, by any method we can -- whether that's a trade (or) whether that's free agency, (or in the) draft obviously," Philbin told the Miami Herald at his end-of-year news conference on Monday. "I'm not opposed to any of that."

The biggest weaknesses for the team this season were on offense as injuries decimated the front line, while one of the weakest receiving corps in the league struggled to create separation or simply make routine catches.

Philbin said a priority will be upgrading the playmakers on an offense that averaged 18 points per game, the sixth-lowest mark in the league.

"We have to do a better job of putting points on the board,” Philbin told the Herald. “This is not a complicated game. We have to do a better job there. Part of the takeway issue is getting interceptions and fumble recoveries. But I don't know (that) it's isolated to the receiver or DB positions.

"We need to address the explosive play element on both sides of the ball. We've got to create more, we have to eliminate more from our opponent's play."

Philbin also said the coaching staff and front office personnel will review the way they functioned this season in an attempt to improve as a franchise. Miami has now had four straight losing seasons for the first time since 1966 through 1969 -- the team’s first four seasons in the American Football League before it became part of the merged NFL-AFL in 1970.

"I definitely need to improve like anybody else, no question about it," Philbin said. "That's what the offseason is all about. I haven't had time to reflect necessarily going through the exit process today and meeting with the players.

"Obviously we had a plan in place for this season. I thought it was a good plan. However, obviously you have to make changes and adjustments and learn and make improvements. And we'll do that. We'll listen to the suggestions of some of the guys you work with on a consistent basis and see if they have ideas that may or may not benefit the program."

For more up-to-the-minute news and analysis on the Miami Dolphins from blogger Dave Carey, follow @CBSDolphins.